This article from Ed Leadership (2010) explores the rationale behind RTI and provides a list of the "wrong questions" that educators often ask when trying to understand how to serve struggling learners. My favorite quote: "giving students more of what didn't work in Tier 1 is rarely the right intervention"
Getting started with Multi-Tier Services at the Secondary Level: Dr. Mark Shinn (one of the founders of RTI, fabulous speaker). markshinn@me.com. Professor and Director, School Psychology Program at National Louis University. www.markshinn.org
Best Practices in Data-Based Decision Making Within an RTI Model: Cr Gary Cates, Illinois State University, www.garycates.net, and Dr. Ben Ditkowsky, Lincolnwood School District, www.MeasuredEffects.com
National Center on RTI: The National Center on Response to Intervention is housed at the American Institutes for Research and works in conjunction with researchers from Vanderbilt University and the University of Kansas. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). The Center’s mission is to provide technical assistance to states and districts and build the capacity of states to assist districts in implementing proven models for RTI.
A Council for Exceptional Children survey found RTI adoption and implementation levels have risen in the past 12 months. In March 2008, 60 percent of districts were piloting, implementing, or using RTI versus 44 percent in March 2007.
A 2010 survey from PearsonEd explains that RTI adoption and implementation levels have continued to rapidly rise (baseline figures from the 2007-2009 surveys) with 61.2% of respondents indicating they are currently either in full implementation or in the process of district wide implementation, up from 4% in 2009, 32% in 2008 and 24% in 2007. 47.9% indicated they have a formal RTI district implementation plan (e.g. NASDSE Blueprint)
A 2011 survey found that: RTI implementation has steadily continued to rise from 2007 through 2011, with 94 percent of respondents in 2011 indicating they are currently at some stage of RTI implementation. While the majority of schools have identified the need for RTI, only 24 percent of schools have reached full implementation. In addition, according to the report, districts with 10,000 or more students are significantly more likely to be in full implementation than smaller districts. Moreover, of those schools planning or implementing RTI, elementary schools are leading the way, with 80 percent of respondents reporting they have fully implemented RTI in one or more domain areas (reading, writing, math, behavior, or science).
RTI Action Network
Visitthe RTI Action Network site for guidance on critical issues related to Response to Intervention. The site is a collaboration of some of the nation's (USA) most important education advocacy organizations. Lots of comprehensive information on RTI, planning and implementation tools, and professional development and networking opportunities. A one-stop place for vital best practices information, the site also features instructive profiles of RTI in practice.
(From RTI Success, 2009)
The National Research Center on Learning Disabilities is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education. Its Web site offers diverse resources for implementing and carrying out RTI in the classroom, school and district levels. (From RTI Success, 2009)
EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION AND INNOVATIONS
SIOP: Effective Instruction for English Language Learners
Virtual RTI for English Learners Institute - 4-week courses offered from the site above.
The new Virtual Response to Intervention (RTI) Institute is an online, interactive workshop, led by original SIOP Model authors and field experts, that will help administrators, coaches and specialists enhance instruction and intervention for English learners (ELs).
This 4-week institute consists of 8-10 sessions. Virtual institute participants complete a series of assignments on their own schedule as well meeting as a virtual group to collaborate, discuss, and share information with their colleagues. The sessions are led by an expert in the topic, and one session is devoted to a question and answer session with the authors. All virtual institute participants receive electronic resources and an e-book from our best-selling series The SIOP® Model Series to support their training and learning.
The Virtual Institute is a cost-effective option that offers educators the opportunity to experience professional development with leading authors and experts on their own schedule, with no travel required, while still receiving high-quality instruction and guidance. Audience: Administrators, Coaches and Specialists
RTI Success (Book description from Amazon)
Response to Intervention (RTI) is an innovative instructional method that enables educators to assess and meet the needs of struggling students before they have fallen too far behind. While the initiative is gaining momentum in the United States, many educators continue to have questions about RTI. What are the three tiers of intervention? How do screening and progress monitoring work? Is there funding available to support RTI? RTI Success answers these and other questions while providing educators with practical tools to simplify the process. The book includes step-by-step guidelines for implementing RTI in schools and provides hundreds of pragmatic, research-based instructional strategies for classroom teachers to target specific skill deficits in their students. Vignettes and school profiles demonstrate RTI techniques in diverse settings, and reproducible forms streamline assessment and documentation procedures. An all-in-one resource, this book offers tools that can be used by all school staff in carrying out Response to Intervention.
This is a RTI Powerpoint presentation that has some great charts and simple explanations for information related to RTI and its implementation and assessment methods. (From RTI Success, 2009)
Leadership Decisions in RTI: Great article on the implementing RTI in Denver
School-Wide Information System-
The School-Wide Information System (SWIS) is a web-based information system designed to help school personnel to use office referral data to design school-wide and individual student interventions. The three primary elements of SWIS are:
An efficient system for gathering information
A web-based computer application for data entry and report generation
A practical process for using information for decision making
A list of useful resources when planning for and implementing RTI in a secondary school.
Table of Contents
WHAT IS RTI?
How widespread is the use of RTI?
RTI Action Network
Visitthe RTI Action Network site for guidance on critical issues related to Response to Intervention. The site is a collaboration of some of the nation's (USA) most important education advocacy organizations. Lots of comprehensive information on RTI, planning and implementation tools, and professional development and networking opportunities. A one-stop place for vital best practices information, the site also features instructive profiles of RTI in practice.
(From RTI Success, 2009)
EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION AND INNOVATIONS
SIOP: Effective Instruction for English Language Learners
Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports
Illinois PBIS Network
http://www.siopinstitute.net/register.cfm
Virtual RTI for English Learners Institute - 4-week courses offered from the site above.
The new Virtual Response to Intervention (RTI) Institute is an online, interactive workshop, led by original SIOP Model authors and field experts, that will help administrators, coaches and specialists enhance instruction and intervention for English learners (ELs).This 4-week institute consists of 8-10 sessions. Virtual institute participants complete a series of assignments on their own schedule as well meeting as a virtual group to collaborate, discuss, and share information with their colleagues. The sessions are led by an expert in the topic, and one session is devoted to a question and answer session with the authors. All virtual institute participants receive electronic resources and an e-book from our best-selling series The SIOP® Model Series to support their training and learning.
The Virtual Institute is a cost-effective option that offers educators the opportunity to experience professional development with leading authors and experts on their own schedule, with no travel required, while still receiving high-quality instruction and guidance.
Audience: Administrators, Coaches and Specialists
RTI Success (Book description from Amazon
Response to Intervention (RTI) is an innovative instructional method that enables educators to assess and meet the needs of struggling students before they have fallen too far behind. While the initiative is gaining momentum in the United States, many educators continue to have questions about RTI. What are the three tiers of intervention? How do screening and progress monitoring work? Is there funding available to support RTI? RTI Success answers these and other questions while providing educators with practical tools to simplify the process. The book includes step-by-step guidelines for implementing RTI in schools and provides hundreds of pragmatic, research-based instructional strategies for classroom teachers to target specific skill deficits in their students. Vignettes and school profiles demonstrate RTI techniques in diverse settings, and reproducible forms streamline assessment and documentation procedures. An all-in-one resource, this book offers tools that can be used by all school staff in carrying out Response to Intervention.
IMPLEMENTING RTI
Leadership Decisions in RTI: Great article on the implementing RTI in Denver
School-Wide Information System-
The School-Wide Information System (SWIS) is a web-based information system designed to help school personnel to use office referral data to design school-wide and individual student interventions. The three primary elements of SWIS are: